How WA's taxes got this bad - New revenue falls short

We've heard a lot lately about Washington State's outdated and unfair tax system. Even USA Today reports that WA's poorest residents pay nearly 17% of their income in taxes, while the wealthiest few pay just 2%. Our tax system hasn't always been this lopsided - have you ever wondered how it got this bad? Rep. Reuven Carlyle made this video to help explain the problem step by step.

Outdated and Unfair — talking taxes in Washington

Additional Revenue Falls Short The WA Economic and Revenue Forecast Council just updated their numbers and while revenue projections are slightly up, our tax system (ahem, see above) still falls "woefully short of what is needed to meet the state's funding obligations in the next two years" according to experts at the WA State Budget & Policy Center.

Source: Washington United for Fair Revenue

Copyright © 2015 Washington United for Fair Revenue, All rights reserved.

59th Day of Legislative Session E-Wire - Sine Die Tomorrow!!!

Hi folks,

The E-Wire has had a rough week trying to keep priority PTA Bills in play down in Olympia. Veteran lobbyist, Nick Federici, described the situation concerning several of these bills as “Schroedinger’s Cat” Bills.  Dead, yet alive at the same time.  For the most part, we consider most of these priorities very much alive and their ability to remain so at the waning hours of the session depend on PTA members burning up the wires telling their legislators to keep moving ahead on these issues.

This is where we are at so far:

CTE - Alive, and not subject to Cut-off.  The House Bill is in the Senate, but is not likely to move anywhere.  The Senate Bill is part of SB 6552.

Breakfast – now likely dead, but it is still in the House Budget.  It is not subject to cut-off, but unless there is agreement in the Majority Caucus, it will not be passed this session.   

Rural Schools - Endangered, but still alive and not likely subject to today's cut-off being that it is in the House Budget.

Omnibus Education - Endangered, but still alive.  It is rumored that the legislature has embraced an amendment offered by Representative Sam Hunt.  Information from the striker is listed below.

Foster Care Expansion - in Senate - Alive, and currently in the Senate. It is a budget item, so not likely subject to cut-off.

Capital Budget - Funding School Construction – there are competing bills to address some of the needs this year.  Their likelihood of passage is unclear at this writing.  We report on them below.

If you are reading this – and have not contacted your legislator this year – you need to – we’re close to hitting the mark on most of the bills we prioritized this year and, hey, we’re greedy for kids – let’s get them all out!

Why Washington State PTA supports revenue

Note: The following letter was sent to all legislators.

TAKE ACTION: Stop Delaying on Basic Education (Armchair advocacy! Just click, send and share)
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Charting the decline: Washington ranks 28th in per pupil spending, but 46th when measured as spending per personal income, meaning working- and middle-class families contribute more as a percentage of their income. In 1991, the range was more equitable. Washington ranked 17th in per pupil spending nationwide and 24th when measured by personal income.

Skills reality check: In the field of STEM: There are 2.1 jobs for every unemployed person. In non-STEM, there are 3.7 unemployed people for every job.

Invest and prepare students for life

• Yes to policy bills that support reading and career and college readiness for all students. E2SSB 5237 and SHB 1692
• Yes to reviewing tax preferences and making adjustments to support K-12 and higher education. HB 2028
• Yes, to a budget that uses a balanced approach, identifies stable revenue, and charts out a linear path to fully funding K-12 education while maintaining programs that keep children healthy, safe and fed and that get our youngest ready for kindergarten.

Message to Olympia:

Testimony - Senate operating budget, 2013-15

Bill information: SB 5034
Click here to comment on the budget bill
Click here to comment about tax breaks
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What does the budget mean? Possibly, delay in restoring K-12 or cuts to other essential services

Time to fund schools

Court strikes down the two-thirds requirement for revenue

Washington State PTA looks forward to stable and equitable funding for schools

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TAKE ACTION

The Washington State Parent Teacher Association opposes placing “super majority” barriers to funding that kids rely on, and the association welcomes the state Supreme Court ruling this week that strikes down the two-thirds majority requirement for state revenue increases. This ruling gives policymakers the flexibility they need to make practical and balanced choices for children.

ADVOCATES TAKE AIM WITH TAX BREAKS:

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/print-edition/2011/01/07/advocatestake-aim-at-tax-breaks.html

Hi advocates,

The revenue coalition we worked alongside with on I-1098 is working on tax exemptions this session. I will be putting together a policy paper on this for our association’s board members (they meet later this month).

We don’t have a position on tax reform, but given our newest resolution on revenue (we should consider revenue increases that support our funding priorities) I wanted to share some information with you. The revenue coalition is basically saying given the extreme cuts we’re seeing, we should look at closing some tax loopholes. (There has been a petition circulating.) The other side equates ending exemptions to increasing business taxes at a bad time.

Again, food for thought as we go into a tough session that will have long-term consequences for our state.

Ramona Hattendor